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Abstract

Introduction: Melanocytic naevi are benign melanocytic tumours. Some of them may progress to malignant melanoma that has an enormous and ever increasing clinical and economical importance with a high mortality rate. Despite this association, we noticed a dearth of data of benign melanocytic tumours in Nigeria. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence, age and sex distribution of benign melanocytic tumours in the University of Benin Teaching Hospital, (UBTH).

Methodology:This was a retrospective study which was carried out over a ten-year period in UBTH between January 2004 and December 2013. All cases of benign melanocytic tumours diagnosed histologically during the period under review were collated. Histology slides were retrieved, reviewed and the diagnosis recorded against the corresponding patient’s name on a data spreadsheet. The data obtained from this study was analysed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences, version 16 (SPSS 16, SPSSInc. Chicago, Illinois, United States of America.

Results: There were 17 cases of melanocytic naevi seen over the study period. The mean age for the development of melanocytic naevi in this study was 32.71 years (SD = 22.64) and a peak age was observed in the second decade. A female preponderance with a bimodal peak age, in the 2nd and 3rd decades was observed.

Conclusion: Melanocytic naevi are relatively rare skin tumours in our own environment, unlike in the Caucasians of Australian population.

The entire contents of the International Journal of Forensic Medical Investigation are protected under international copyrights. The Journal, however, holds all irrevocable, worldwide, perpetual right of access to, and a license to copy, use, distribute, perform and display the work publicly and to make and distribute derivative works in any digital medium for any reasonable non-commercial purpose, subject to proper attribution of authorship and ownership of the rights. The journal also grants the right to make small numbers of printed copies for their personal non-commercial use under Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 Unported License.

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